It’s hard to believe it’s been three months (at time of writing) since the Interpret Europe Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) course that I attended. 

Nestled between the start of winter holidays and the last bits of autumn, we gathered in the unlikely yet ideal setting of Gračac. Thanks to the Zadar Region Tourist Board, the Cerovac Caves Centre of Excellence was our home for the next few days. We gathered from all over Croatia to learn, discuss, and dive into a new experience.

Our trainer encouraged us to search for phenomena inspired by our rugged surroundings. Getting out in the cold was a welcome opportunity for us to seek meaning, try out stepping stones, and apply what we had learned so far in the warmth of the inside space.
After spending two days soaking in all things interpretation, it was time to test out our skills in the once-thriving city of Obrovac at the other side of Mount Velebit. Fortunately, our group was blessed with an enthusiastic tour guide-to-be of just the area, who gave us a brief guided tour through the small town that has seen better days. It was surprisingly exciting to explore its riverbanks and hidden corners, discovering layers of history and centuries of life that formed the identity of its people. With so much inspiration it was easy to create our own interpretive walk connecting places of encounter in the seemingly empty city. The sights we chose spoke to us past what the eye could see. I don’t remember everything that was said, but I remember the emotions we felt and shared in our communal space. Isn’t that what interpretation is all about?

Connecting with our surroundings on a deeper level happened quite literally on the second weekend of our brief but impactful gathering. We were invited to explore the lower part of the Cerovac caves. The underworld thrilled us and made us feel like a part of a larger ecosystem, both socially and historically. Seeing the formations created over thousands of years really puts things in a different perspective. Working again with the rough surface of the northern slopes of Mount Velebit made so much more sense after touching its dark underground heart. Even the cold seemed a bit softer and became one of our phenomena.
A sunny Sunday marked the end of our time together. Climbing the old fortress of Obrovac and marvelling at the Zrmanja river canyon made us fall in love with the region all over again. It was especially emotional to search for meaning in this area, which suffered greatly in the Croatian Homeland War of the 1990s. Making new connections through our shared values seemed more meaningful than ever.

To say our goodbyes with more ease, we shared a rich meal together in a rustic local restaurant. The memory of our time together, the knowledge we gained, and the connection we experienced will be ground for all our future interpretations.

Maša Pavičić is a tour guide and writer, mostly focused on culture and travel. She also does communication for the Dalmatian Islands Environment Foundation. Maša can be contacted via her website, Cultourist: www.cul-tourist.com.

To cite this article: Pavičić, Maša (2026) “Finding inspiration in unlikely places”, Interpret Europe Newsletter Spring 2026, p. 16.
Available online: Interpret Europe Newsletter Spring 2026.

Beyond careful planning and organisation, other powerful elements shape the experience: the place itself and the people who live there, the participants, and the relationships they share with the trainer. These were the key ingredients that made this CIG course in Greece so unique.

We gathered in Anogeia, a renowned mountain village in Crete, birthplace of some of the island’s most celebrated traditional musicians. At 700 metres above sea level, with temperatures ranging from 2 to 6 degrees Celsius (yes, it can be cold in the south!), we met in the heart of the Psiloritis UNESCO Global Geopark, beneath the imposing peak of Mount Psiloritis — the legendary mountain of Zeus.

The participants formed an inspiring mosaic of natural and cultural heritage professionals. They travelled from every corner of the island — east and west — to meet under Zeus’ mountain: cavers, mountain leaders, tourist guides, museum staff, and museum educators. Yet, what made this gathering truly special was not only the diversity of backgrounds. It was the joy of training friends and long-time colleagues — people we have met time and again along the stony paths of our island. Sharing such a transformative experience with those you have grown and worked alongside for years — How rare and meaningful is that?

Even more touching was returning to a village after ten years and being welcomed with such warmth. Despite the rain, members of the cultural association guided us through their village, Gonies, proudly revealing its hidden corners — its ‘gonies’, as the word beautifully suggests in Greek. And then came more surprises: they had prepared a feast in our honour. This is the true meaning of ‘filoxenia’ — Cretan hospitality at its finest.

As a final gift, we gathered with the villagers to watch a short film about the heritage of a local instrument, the lute, and the moving story of a woman from the village who secretly learned to play it at a time when girls were not allowed to study music.

This course was truly a blessing. I am deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to making this first interpretation course in southern Greece a reality, in collaboration with Mountain Leaders Association of Crete and Unesco Psiloritis Geopark.

Penelope Gkini is an IE Certified Interpretive Guide and Trainer. You can reach her at: porizocrete@gmail.com.

To cite this article: Gkini, Penelope (2026) “What truly makes a difference in a CIG course?”, Interpret Europe Newsletter Spring 2026, p. 15.
Available online: Interpret Europe Newsletter Spring 2026.

Tuzla, the city on a grain of salt, is in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is one of the oldest settlements in Europe with continuity of life. The oldest stilt houses settlement in Europe was found in Tuzla, which dates back to the Neolithic (Younger Stone Age). Other stilt house settlements found in Europe only date back to the Iron Age. The name of the city derives from the word ‘tuz’, which means ‘salt’ in the Turkish language. This city is one of the largest cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is a very important cultural, educational and economic centre of the country. Some say that two ores, salt and coal, are the greatest wealth of Tuzla, but that is not true because the greatest wealth is its citizens – the people who live there. 

From 4-8 March, Tuzla hosted 12 participants for an IE Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) training course. It was led by IE Certified Trainer Ivana Zrilić from Croatia. This course was run as part of the cross-border cooperation project ‘Old railways for new experiences’ financed by the European Union as part of the cross-border cooperation programme of Bosnia and Herzegovina – Serbia. The project is jointly implemented by the LINK entrepreneurial centre Mostar in cooperation with the municipality of Banovići, BIPS Belgrade and FORCA Požega. 

All the participants agreed that, along with the excellent IE course, the beauty of the city of Tuzla and its hospitality will remain in their thoughts. The positive energy that reigned over all five days of the course showed that cohesion is one of the fundamental values of this training. The theoretical part of the course was very well balanced – just enough in the classroom for the background we needed, and the main focus was on the development of our interpretation skills. Although there were days that were rainy and very cold, we still got out to work in the field. It brought us even closer as a team, noting that until this course none of the participants knew each other. The wealth of diversity should also be highlighted here, as the participants were of different generations, genders, professions, nations, religions and life experiences. This IE course really brought us all together.

In researching the phenomena of Tuzla to interpret, the participants visited the following diverse range of destinations: Pannonian Lakes, City Park with a monument to Tvrtko I Kotromanić, Square of Freedom, Salt Square, Salt Spa, Atelier Ismet Mujezinović, International Gallery of portraits, Center of Literature, Monument to the Miner of Husino, Monument to Meša Selimović and Ismet Mujezinović, Tuzla goat monument, Bazaar fountain, Gazi Turali-beg’s (Polish) mosque, Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Franciscan church and monastery of St. Peter and Paul. 

It was a really intense week with a motivated and excellent team of participants. We acquired skills that will be of great importance in our further work as IE CIGs. “The whole of Tuzla milked one goat” was the message during the working week, and for some new meeting and socialising I am sending a message – “See you at Meša and Ismet”.

Branislav Lukić Luka is a multimedia artist, academic painter, writer, photographer, designer and guide. He is also an NGO activist. You can contact him at: branislavl@yahoo.com.

To cite this article: Lukić Luka, Branislav (2024) ‘Creative course in the city on a grain of salt‘ in Interpret Europe Newsletter 1-2024, pg.12.
Available online: https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PDF-Newsletter_2024_1-spring.pdf

Through their participation in a six-day course offered by USAID Colombia and its Destination Nature Activity and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), these people built new narratives about wonderful tourist destinations in territories previously affected by armed conflict. The IE Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) course was conducted by NaturalWalks and resulted in the certification of 39 guides, inhabitants of the municipalities of Mesetas and La Macarena in the department of Meta, Colombia, at the end of 2023.

Vanessa Escobar, a nature and adventure tourism guide from the organisation Asoguías of the municipality of Mesetas affirmed: “Before this course, what we shared with tourists was very basic. But now we can interpret small things like a flower or large things like a rock formation. Before we didn´t do this because we hadn´t developed the skill. But now we can do it to connect with people and their emotions, generating a positive experience. Sharing this process with our fellow guides also helped us enrich our interpretive script. We are very grateful for this opportunity”.

Incredible natural attractions such as Caño Cristales, Mirador del Amor and the Güejar River Canyon, became the perfect training scenarios in guiding and interpretation, with guides developing new skills through accompanying and leading nature and adventure tourism experiences during the course.

“I am very grateful for the course. We received very important tools; we now have a structure for guiding and we learned how to do things in an organised way in our territory. We are already applying what we learnt, and it is truly working for us. During the course we were able to interact with other colleagues and this allowed us to create networks and alliances through which we can expand the benefits for our territory and its communities. We are grateful to Interpret Europe and all the institutions that supported this training” shared Wilmer Soto, a nature tourism guide from the village of La Argentina in the municipality of Mesetas.

This theoretical-practical training exercise resulted in great lessons and opportunities on the need to generate and strengthen narratives to enrich the guiding experiences and improve the tourism offer. Narratives encourage genuine involvement not only by tourists but also by local guides from community-based organisations who seek an authentic appropriation of the territory and its values. As a result, this course highlights the importance of strengthening the work of interpreters and guides as intermediaries between tourists, nature and communities, and as key actors in generating awareness among tourism service providers in the territories.

Capacity building in the field of nature tourism and conservation in the Sierra de la Macarena generates a significant impact at the national level. The lessons learned from the courses in these territories can be replicated in other regions, thus contributing to the sustainable development of tourism in Colombia, the second most biodiverse country in the world.

This training course was possible thanks to the collaborative work of USAID and its Destination Nature program and the United Nations Development Program – UNDP and its projects Sustainable Amazonia for Peace – financed by the Global Environment Facility, under the leadership of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development – and Corridors of Peace – financed by the Swedish Embassy.

• Julián Guerrero is a lawyer passionate about nature working as the director of the Destination Nature activity of the U.S. Agency for International Development USAID (www.usaid.gov) in Colombia. You can get in touch with him at: Julian_guerrero@destinonaturaleza.org
• Andrea Parrado is a tourism administrator working as the Destination Development Coordinator of the Destination Nature activity of the U.S. Agency for International Development USAID (www.usaid.gov) in Colombia. You can get in touch with her at: andrea_parrado@destinonaturaleza.org 
• Jessica Lizcano is a master in sustainability working as the Nature Tourism and Green Business Analyst at the of the United Nations Development Programme UNDP (www.undp.org/es/colombia) in Colombia. You can get in touch with her at: jessica.lizcano@undp.org 
• Ángela Delgado is an expert in communication at the of the United Nations Development Programme UNDP (www.undp.org/es/colombia) in Colombia. You can get in touch with her at: angela.delgado@undp.org 

To cite this article: Guerrero, Julián & Parrado, Andrea& Lizcano, Jessica& Delgado, Ángela (2024) ‘Interpreting megadiverse destinations: Sierra de la Macarena, Colombia‘ in Interpret Europe Newsletter 1-2024, pg.13-14.
Available online: https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PDF-Newsletter_2024_1-spring.pdf

This thought-provoking experience welcomed over 20 participants from 13 European countries, uniting them in the community of interpretive trainers. Organised by Vanessa Vaio, IE’s Country Coordinator Italy, the course unfolded between November 21-25 and was led by trainers Valya Stergioti from Greece and Thorsten Ludwig from Germany.

Capturing the essence of the transformative three-day CIT course, followed by a two-day upgrade for Certified Interpretive Guides (CIG) course, the event was further enriched with a Certified Interpretive Writer Trainer (CIWT) upgrade for a select group of trainers.

Nestled in the embrace of the towering peaks of the Alps, the mountains themselves seemed to elevate the participants’ spirits, despite the inherent humility each participant brought. The bond formed amongst the future trainers was akin to the resilient roots of the pine trees adorning the paths of Viola Valley – a testament to the universal language of the shared passion by all future interpretive trainers.

This remarkable experience was filled with opportunities to learn how to become better interpretive trainers. It included heart-fluttering exercises, insightful presentations, and the warm camaraderie of willing, friendly, and supportive fellow participants from all over Europe.

Barbara Gołębiowska, IE’s Country Coordinator Poland, captured this shared experience, rarely found elsewhere:

“The atmosphere that accompanies Interpret Europe interpretation courses is something extraordinary. Nowhere, never and at any training or workshop have I experienced such joy from learning together and closeness based on a community of passions and values, while appreciating the diversity of our languages, cultures and experiences. This was a place where you can feel the value of the European community at its deepest level.”

The intensity of the week was palpable, from the profound insights shared during presentations to the emotional resonance of the feedback sessions that illuminated the collective journey. Against the breathtaking backdrop of the Italian Alps, participants not only honed their interpretive skills but also kindled a shared vision for a more connected and sustainable world.

The training was a sensory feast, nourishing both mind and soul. Beyond Interpret Europe’s overarching goal of shaping the future of our common heritage, the programme inspired a more profound commitment to crafting a sustainable present and future. It ignited a collective desire to enhance individual contributions, stirring the very spirit of humanity.

Amidst the pristine white landscape, the course unfolded in a symphony of vibrant colours, mirroring the richness of the content. Although English wasn’t the native language for any participant, it proved to be no barrier. Instead, it became a catalyst for forging strong connections, much like the sturdy pines revealing themselves along the valley trails.

Iva Silla, author of Secret Zagreb and already an experienced Interpret Europe Certified Interpretive Trainer, took part in the CIWT (Certified Interpretive Writers Trainer) upgrade:

“I enjoyed every step of the process. As always in the IE courses, vivid discussions and meaningful reflections were encouraged by our trainer. I have worked as a CIG trainer for years, and joining a new trainers’ upgrade was a perfect chance for me to work closely with other trainers, get to know their perspectives, and understand our responsibility and the power of facilitation even better. Interpret Europe’s training is skilfully crafted, and highly standardised, but every trainer has their own personal touch, and that could be one of the most precious add-ons. Spending time with my fellow-trainees was eye-opening in many ways.”

Aspiring to make a transformative impact, the upcoming cohort of Interpret Europe trainers seeks to redefine the art of heritage interpretation. Their mission is to cultivate contemplation and dialogue, fostering connections between audiences and heritage through a shared, value-driven approach. This endeavour aims to infuse fresh significance into Europe’s natural, cultural, and intangible heritage, empowering all who inspire meaningful connections. It is through these direct and meaningful experiences that we collectively shape our common future.

Vasilka Dimitrovska is Interpret Europe’s Country Coordinator North Macedonia. She is the director of HAEMUS – Center for Scientific Research and promotion of Culture (www.haemus.org.mk) and the owner of Storytelling Skopje (www.storytelling-skopje.com). She can be contacted at: dimitrovska@haemus.org.mk

Daniela Ruçi works as a grants coordinator for Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT). She has many years’ experience as an environmental expert and previously worked as a manager for the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) programme. Daniela is IE’s Design Officer, and she can be contacted at: Daniela.ruci@interpret-europe.net

To cite this article: Dimitrovska, Vasilka & Ruçi, Daniela (2023) ‘The training of trainers‘  in Interpret Europe Newsletter 4-2023, pg.12-13.
Available online: https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IE-Newsletter-2023_4-winter.pdf

A rare and exciting sight happened in the first days of June in the Serbian town of Zaječar. The first group of Interpret Europe’s Certified Interpretive Guides (CIG) in the country received their certificates, while, at the same time, the second training was already underway. The participants of the second training joined the newly certified ones in their celebrations.
EU for cultural heritage and tourism – that is the name of a project, managed by the German development cooperation organization (GIZ), that made the first Interpret Europe training in Serbia possible. The project recognises tourism as a significant economic potential for the development of Eastern Serbia and the Lower Danube region. Building capacities is a part of the project. Some international consultants and trainers were a part of the capacity building, including Croatian agency IRTA. They already had insights to the potential of Interpret Europe training and suggested its implementation in this particular project. The project team felt there was an alignment of the goals of Interpret Europe’s training, and the project’s goals, and organised the training perfectly, gathering interested stakeholders from all over the region, from very diverse backgrounds.

The first CIG training was marked by the motivated and positive attitude of the participants, which led to many fun moments of serious learning. The participants practiced by sharing inspiration about the phenomena of the towns of Veliko Gradište, Kladovo, and the entire region. The region at the banks of the mighty river Danube enchanted the training team and re-enchanted the participants with its unique historical monuments, natural wonders, colourful personalities from the past, folklore, and even some real magic. Yes, Eastern Serbia is a magical place, sometimes quite literally. But that part of its heritage is covered by a thick veil of secrecy. When it comes to magic, I learned from the residents to give you nothing but a teaser.
Most of the participants were quick to deliver their homework. They used it as an opportunity to think deeply about interpreting their sites. Medieval castles, archaeological sites, exhibitions, a national park, and more, are now ready to be presented through meaningful walks.

Participants from the National Museum of Zaječar, led by its manager, saw the potential of this training, and soon enough, he organised another course for his destination. This time, a special perk for the whole group was a day at a UNESCO site, Felix Romuliana, the place of the last apotheosis. Apotheosis is a rite of turning a Roman emperor into a god. The day at Felix Romuliana was inspiring, as the participants revived the place by trying out some skills of live interpretation.
In their final presentations, the 25 participants of the two courses chose some surprising details and presented their astonishing heritage. We found out how to trick a catfish the traditional way, with the help of a simple bućkalica device. We learned about some incredible musicians, including the one who knew how to stir spirits with the sounds of his violin so that people wouldn’t want to leave a bar for seven days! By the way, the event organised for the newly certified members was in a similar style – the training team from Croatia understood quite well what the kafana bar and its musicians mean for life in those parts. We hope one of the future Interpret Europe events will take place in the region so you can get a taste of this unique experience, too.

We heard about the villages that lie at the bottom of the fierce Danube, and we felt its might on our skin, on a cold windy day. We participated in cherishing the Vlach tongue, and the story of the intimidating forest goddess Muma Paduri. Some participants were brave enough to try live interpretation, and many dared to take up the difficult task of interpreting intangible heritage, through music, dances, customs, and stories. All of us fell in love with every corner of the region, constantly amazed by its wonders.
Interpret Europe has had members from Serbia for years now. But it wasn’t until 2023 that a real opportunity for a CIG course to take place in the country showed up. It so happened that it landed on the most fertile soil of Eastern Serbia. We hope this is just the beginning. Just like the beans from Veliko Gradište, that supposedly bring good luck and fertility, we all hope the interpretive seeds will grow all over the country and beyond. A big welcome to our new members and certified members from Serbia! Let’s cherish the CIG magic together!   

Image 1: Family legacy as a choice for interpretive speech by Iva Silla
Image 2: First Serbian Group Receives Certificates, Unknown author

Iva Silla is an Interpret Europe Certified Interpretive Trainer for the CIG course. She is the author of Secret Zagreb walking tours (www.secret-zagreb.com) and Croatia Underrated podcast (www.croatiaunderrated.com). Contact her at iva@questoftales.com.

To cite this article:  Silla, Iva (2023) ‘Eastern Serbia on a roll‘ in Interpret Europe Newsletter 2-2023, pg.18-19.
Available online: https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Newsletter-2023_2-summer.pdf

A brief: Turning things upside down to get a better perspective of our heritage is always a good idea! How breaking the old patterns of thought, though difficult, can lead to greater new perspectives.
Trying to study or make an important decisions during strong “juzina”, a warm southern wind bringing rain to Dubrovnik, is never a good idea! The feeling during juzina is equivalent to wearing a cheap polyester suit while meeting your mother-in-law for the first time: hot and sweaty! It just so happened that on a day like this, our Interpret Europe course started. 

I joined on an invitation of my good friend and now mentor, Max, though I did not need much convincing since a ‘curiosity killed the cat’ kind of attitude is what brought me to this line of work in the first place. Unhappily I will admit part of me was thinking what kind of mumbo jumbo this was, however, I would feel bad for passing on a great opportunity to see what was out there.
The classroom was located in an old Austro-Hungarian building from the turn of the century where Dubrovnik’s archives and county offices are located; its long corridors and ceiling windows did not promise much. Some new faces in the classroom mixed with some old ones and with an inevitable double shot of espresso in my hand from a nearby coffee machine, I raised my expectations.
Right from the start, our trainer unleashed his endless enthusiasm, questioning what could be considered as heritage, while sliding through the presentation. It was a great way of starting the course which already had our little grey cells lined up for an early morning fitness routine you keep putting off. The first day ended with many question marks, but we were promised a light at the end of the tunnel.
The first couple of days of the course felt like studying Chinese while having a very bad hangover. A change of perspective was needed, and it was time to pull out all the deep-rooted patterns of learnt presenting skills like weeds. Going out of the classroom was a literal out of the box thinking experience as we went to a nearby forgotten little park for some activities. The adult in us was put on stand-by, and we turned on that childhood feeling when learning was fun and you were completely unaware of it. Something had to give. The top became bottom, left became right, and that once forgotten detail blossomed into an idea. Like the much awaited wind of “Bura”, a northern wind which clears the sky, our minds began to open to some new ideas. The hangover was gone.
A few new friendships forged, and with a shot of “travarica”, we ended the course leisurely hanging out in the evening. Chatting away with my fellow colleagues I realised that probably the best decision in my life was to become a guide. This course made me appreciate my calling even more as being an interpreter not only requires certain skills, but holds a fair amount of responsibility – at the end of the day you are trying to find some sense of a place and put some substance to a meaning, hoping that the people who join you can do the same.

Images:  Iva Hrdlicka

Iva Hrdlicka is a Guide working in the town of Dubrovnik, Croatia, and its surrounding area.  After a colourful career working in international companies in the field of real estate, executive search consultancy and event management, she came back to her hometown Dubrovnik, where inspired by its intriguing history, she embarked on a new career as a tourist guide. She can be contacted at: ivahrd@yahoo.com.

To cite this article:  Hrdlicka, Iva (2023) ‘New perspectives‘ in Interpret Europe Newsletter 2-2023, pg.17.
Available online: https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Newsletter-2023_2-summer.pdf

The IE Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) course held in May 2023 in the eastern Croatian city of Lipik was organised through the Terme Lipik integrated project for the development and revitalisation of the cultural heritage of Lipik. The CIG course was part of the project aiming to enhance the skills of guides and interpreters in presenting cultural and natural heritage using interpretive guiding methods and techniques. The training was organised by Muses Ltd. 

Ivona Pavković, one of the trainees, expressed her deep appreciation for the course: 

”The training provided me with a fresh perspective on heritage and equipped me with practical tools to engage the general public. I found the acquired skills to be applicable not only in my professional life but also in everyday situations. Additionally, I cherished the opportunity to meet wonderful people, share valuable experiences, and have a lot of fun throughout the course.”

Another trainee, Ivana Pleše, who works as a tourist guide, shared similar sentiments about her experience:

”The inspiring leadership of the creative team of trainers and their encouragement to actively think about the interpretation of cultural heritage has further affirmed the quality of their work which I already experienced while collaborating on the conceptual phase of the Interpretation Centre in Lipik. This training programme enables tourism professionals like me to expand and refine the knowledge that we already use with new methods and techniques. The course fosters an intensive and interactive learning environment that encourages both independent and collaborative work, facilitating the development of new ideas and narratives. Fieldwork conducted at local tourist sites offered participants a fresh perspective on familiar landmarks. Through this education, the significance of preserving and interpreting the heritage of Lipik became evident, sparking valuable ideas from all participants that will lead to numerous future collaborations and content creation.”

Interpret Europe’s CIG training in Lipik represents for cultural heritage interpreters a significant step towards the professional development of guides in Lipik. It provides them with the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and skills while strengthening their ability to inspire visitors and foster a deeper connection to the region’s rich cultural and natural heritage.

Image 1: Participants doing the outdoor exercise, by Meri Vesanovic (Muses Ltd)
Image 2: Course group photo, by Meri Vesanovic (Muses Ltd)

Matija Kulhavi is a media and communication professional who works as Editor in Chief for the media and news company Compas Lipik (https://compas.com.hr/).

To cite this article:  Kulhavi, Matija (2023) ‘CIG gives a fresh perspective‘ in Interpret Europe Newsletter 2-2023, pg.16.
Available online: https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Newsletter-2023_2-summer.pdf

In Ogulin, a fairytale town in the heart of Croatia, a group of hard-working, enthusiastic and cheerful people gathered in March for IE’s Certified Interpretative Guide (CIG) course. The course leaders, with their knowledge, enthusiasm and cheerfulness, imparted knowledge and skills to the group and enriched us with new knowledge, as well as friendships that were born thanks to the workshop. My colleague, Sabine Gvozdić, and I from Croatia were joined on the course by a group from the Polish museum Muzeum Józef Piłsudskiego w Sulejówka.

We spent the first four days acquiring theoretical knowledge and practicing what we learned in pairs or groups. We spent a lot of time outside visiting the phenomena in the inner city centre of Ogulin and preparing for the last day with various activities. We spent the last day of the workshop holding our interpretive talks in which we presented all the skills we had learned, and at the same time we practiced mutual evaluation. In addition to excellent interpretive speeches, we showed mutual support, motivation and pride in each other.

Although we agreed that the week was quite tiring, we parted heavy-hearted from each other, grateful because in addition to the invaluable knowledge that we had gained, we also created wonderful friendships that we believe will last a long time.

First Image: Experiencing the exhibition in Ivana’s House of Fairy Tales by Ivana Jagić Boljat
Second Image: Participants experience the phenomenon in Đula’s park in Ogulin, by Žana Kirasić

Žana Kirasić has a master’s degree in Croatian language and literature education. She is currently employed as an expert associate for educational and creative programmes at Ivan’s House of Fairy Tales in Ogulin, Croatia.

To cite this article:  Kirasić, Žana (2023) ‘Phenomena created friendships‘in Interpret Europe Newsletter 2-2023, pg.15.
Available online: https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Newsletter-2023_2-summer.pdf

From 2-11 February, the first Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) course in Portuguese took place in the Conímbriga Museum, near Coimbra, in the central region of Portugal. This unique place has been the home of several populations throughout the centuries, the most evident being the Roman civilisation, whose remains can give us today a glimpse of how their lives would have been two millennia ago. During the training, participants were able to visit several places around Conimbriga, where different practical exercises were carried out to try to reveal the deepest meanings of a great selection of cultural and natural heritage.

The course itinerary began in the past and moved us on to the future. We started with the Roman city of Conímbriga and a museum inaugurated in 1962 contrasting to the PO.RO.S Museum (Roman Portugal in Sicó Mountain), inaugurated in 2017. This museum explains the Roman occupancy of the region using new technologies to recreate the Roman legacy in an interactive and efficient way. We continued the course through the streets of Condeixa, passing by the House-Museum of Fernando Namora, a poet descendant of this land who was honoured by the municipality that created this museum. Inside his house the artistic production and acquisitions of this family doctor are displayed along with some secrets and personal objects in the small office that seems like it is waiting to be experienced by the visitors. 

The School of Water, a former primary school recently converted into an interpretative centre, was visited as an example of how we can provoke thoughts about water and understand all its connections to life and the landscape. With only explanatory panels, this centre continues to stimulate visitors and the local population on how we can protect water as a source of life. The journey continued to the peaceful village of Casmilo, a place with many unnoticed heritage elements that tell us the story of the ancestors who lived there, and the presence of old ways of living that we hope can be preserved for future generations to appreciate that legacy. The course ended where it began: in Conímbriga, that magical place full of hidden meanings.

The course was based on several practical activities to keep us motivated. A strong connection was created between group participants, who before the course only had in common an appreciation of heritage. Now we also all have in common an important tool for the development of heritage interpretation. We cannot predict the future but certainly many new projects and activities will start from this point to foster the unveiling of many Portuguese heritage phenomena that are waiting to be discovered, interpreted and above all preserved.

Armandina Pina’s professional activity is very different from interpretation since she is a tax inspector, but she has always been passionate about her country’s history. She recently finished a degree in History, and now heritage interpretation is a possible asset in her future professional career. She can be contacted at: armandinaandrepina@gmail.com.

To cite this article: Pina, Armandina (2023) ‘The first CIG course in Portuguese’ in Interpret Europe Newsletter 1-2023, pg. 12.
Available online: https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/PDF-Newsletter-2023_1-spring.pdf